Performance and Reliability
The Primus 880 is a completely new
radar design using all of Honeywell’s RF
expertise to provide the ultimate in both
performance and reliability.
The Primus 880 excels in all three weath-
er radar performance categories.
• Pulse width: Primus 880’s narrow pulse
width provides better resolution of the
reflected signal which, in turn, makes
it easier to distinguish ground from
weather.
• Transmitter power: 10 kilowatts of
power allows for unsurpassed range in
class.
• Receiver sensitivity: Primus 880’s high
receiver sensitivity allows the radar to
detect extremely weak signals from
distant storms.
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StormTest
Honeywell invited a group of customers to participate in a unique program called
“StormTest.” These customers provided weekly feedback on the performance of the
radar, which allowed Honeywell engineers to perfect the Primus 880. Thanks to these
customers, StormTest was a huge success resulting in a radar that is now “Pilot
Proven.”
Commercial Aviation’s Most Powerful Powerful Integrated RTA Weather Radar With Turbulence Detection
Weather Detection
Rainfall intensity levels are displayed in
four brilliant colors contrasted against a
black background. The result is a crisp
display that makes any target readable
under any cockpit lighting condition.
Magenta represents areas of severe rain-
fall, red shows heavy rainfall, yellow rep-
resents medium rainfall and green indi-
cates light rain. To help in analyzing the
storm, Honeywell’s Primus® 880 informs
pilots of the operating mode, distance to
each range mark and antenna tilt angle.
Turbulence Detection
Turbulence exposes pilots, passengers
and aircraft to unnecessary risk that may
be present in any level of precipitation–
even those with weak radar returns that
may appear safe to fly through.
The Primus 880 radar uses advanced
Doppler “pulse pair processing” tech-
niques to detect spectrum spreading
caused by turbulence within any storm
cell — regardless of rainfall rates. Once
detected, the turbulent areas are dis-
played in white on all ranges up to 50
nautical miles. This allows pilots to safely
maneuver around uncomfortable, possi-
bly hazardous weather.
erful Powerful ith Turbulence Detection
Altitude Compensated Tilt (ACT)
ACT allows easier detection of weather that may affect the aircraft in an en route condi-
tion and reduces the amount of tilt management required by the pilot. When ACT is
selected, the Primus 880 reads the altitude and selected range, then points the anten-
na at the ground just inside the selected range. ACT automatically adjusts the tilt with
any change in altitude. ACT also changes the tilt control from the normal ±15° to ±2°
for finer control.
REACT
Honeywell’s exclusive Rain Echo Attenuation Compensation Technique (REACT) safety
feature alerts pilots to areas where storms may be hidden behind other storms.
REACT performs three distinct functions. First, it maintains target calibration by com-
pensating for attenuation caused by intervening rainfall. Second, REACT advises pilots
of areas where target calibration cannot be maintained by changing the screen back-
ground to blue, warning that attenuation may be hiding areas of severe weather. Third,
any target displayed in the blue field will appear in magenta to alert the pilot to its
probable severity.
Target Alert
Target Alert (TGT) notifies the pilot of
potentially hazardous targets directly in
front of the aircraft that are not yet within
the selected range. When “T” is dis-
played in green (right), Target Alert is
armed. When the yellow “TGT” is dis-
played (left), the pilot is warned of a red
level target directly in front of the aircraft
(within ±7.5° of the aircraft’s nose).
The storm at 50 miles (right) tripped the
“TGT” (left).
Sector Scan
In normal mode, Primus 880 scans once
every four seconds. In Sector Scan
(SECT) mode, the scan rate increases to
two seconds when faster updates are
needed due to storm activity directly
ahead on short range.
BITE
Primus 880’s Built-In Test
Equipment (BITE) features com-
plete RF loop-back which con-
tinuously tests the transmitter
power and receiver sensitivity
and reports any faults to the
pilot. Included in the monitoring
are circuit checks such as
power supply and computer
memory. BITE also monitors the
time of operation in every
mode, the time at incremental
altitudes and the time at incre-
mental temperature to help
service technicians identify any
faults.
Ground Mapping
Ground mapping (GMAP) is a navigation
aid, and the Primus 880 has a mode
specifically for depicting terrain features.
Notice the detail shown on the radar pic-
ture (right) of Tampa Bay with the three
causeways crossing the bay. Low power
radars with long pulse widths are unable
to give this type of detail and clarity.
NEXRAD
The United States has designed and implemented a ground-based radar, referred
to as NEXRAD. These radars are very large (24 foot antennas) and use a very
complicated technique to derive the weather information, with results that are quite
exact. Honeywell has performed extensive testing to ensure that Primus 880
matches the data derived from the NEXRAD.
Primus® 880 vs. its hostile environment
A radar system is installed in one of the most hostile environments on an aircraft–the
nose. Water in the radome can cause weather radar problems. Primus 880 has been
designed to work in the worst of all environments, even a direct shower.
Lightning Sensor System
Honeywell’s optional LSZ-850
Lightning Sensor System (LSS) pro-
tects aircraft from the inherent hazards
of lightning. The overlay of lightning
information onto the precipitation/tur-
bulence display of the Primus 880 pro-
vides the safest and most powerful
severe weather avoidance tool avail-
able today.
The LSS determines the rate of vertical
lightning in a geographical area, then
displays its center with unique
Honeywell symbology. The LSS accu-
rately displays the position and light-
ning rate of up to 50 storm cells at the
same time.
Dual Mode and Displays
Primus 880 naturally integrates with
EFIS accompanied with one or two
radar controllers, WC-880/884. With
two controllers, Primus 880 can be
operated like two separate radars. The
pilot’s controller settings are used for
one sweep, then the co-pilot’s are
used for the subsequent sweep.
Also, the Primus 880 has its own inde-
pendent weather radar indicator, the
WI-880. The radar indicator has a spe-
cial interface to connect the Lightning
Sensor System or Data Nav V for
added versatility in the cockpit.
A60-0860-000-000October 2005© 2005 Honeywell International Inc.
How to find out more
Honeywell’s Primus 880 is like no other
radar available today. To learn more
about its capabilities, benefits, installa-
tion and availability, please call your
local Honeywell representative, or
contact:
Honeywell Aerospace
21111 N. 19th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85027
Toll Free: 800-601-3099
International: 602-365-3099
www.honeywell.com
Installation
Since the Primus 880 is an RTA-style
radar, installation is straight-forward. The
system requires only a display and a
control panel to complete the package.
Supporting the system
Honeywell’s avionics are based on
proven technology to provide you with
exceptionally high reliability and simpli-
fied maintenance.
Our award-winning product support serv-
ices include regularly scheduled training
classes offered worldwide for both flight
crews and maintenance personnel.
When service is needed, a global dealer
network is the front line for the Primus
880.
Honeywell’s Customer and Product
Support organization is committed to
keeping your weather radar operating
day and night, around the world.
Primus® 880 weather radar specifications
WU-880 Radar Part Number 7021450-801Power Output 10kW (nominal)
12kW (max)Pulse Widths 1 or 2 micro-secondsReceiver Sensitivity -118 dBm (nominal)Modes Turbulence, ACT,
REACT, GMAP, Target Alert, Sector Scan
Variable Gain Range +3 to -20 dBTilt Range +15° to -15°Ranges 2.5-300nm WXPD bus
2.5-320nm ARINC 453Scan Angle 120°Sector Scan Angle 60°Antenna Sizes 12”,18” and 24”Power Requirements 28Vdc, 110W maxRadar Weight 13.9 lbs (nominal)Antenna Weights 12” = 1.1 lbs (nominal)
18” = 2.4 lbs (nominal)24” = 4.0 lbs (nominal)
Altitude 55,000 ftTemperature -55 to +70° CHelicopter Qualified YesAdapter Cable Yes, for P-870 installationsDO-160C F2-AB[CLMY]XXXXFXA[BZ]AZZRZA3E4XX
WI-880 IndicatorPart Number 7007700-401 to -404Options Color: Black or Gray
Lightning Sensor ControlSize 4.2”x6.1”x11.5” Weight 12 lbs Altitude 25,000 feetTemperature -20 to +55° CPower Requirements 28Vdc, 36W maxMounting TrayHelicopter Qualified YesDO-160B B1A/PKS/XXXXXXAAAAA
WC-880/884 ControllerPart Number (WC-880) 7008471-405 to -408/-415 to -418
(WC-884) 7006921-815 to -816 (GIV & GV)Options Color: Black or Gray
Lightning Sensor ControlSize 1.875”x5.75”x6.5” Weight 2.0 lbs Altitude (WC-880) 25,000 feet
(WC-884) 20,000 feetTemperature (WC-880) -20 to +55° C
(WC-884) -15 to +55° CPower Requirements 28Vdc, 8.5W maxMounting DzusHelicopter Qualified YesDO-160B (WC-880) B1A/KS/XXXXXXAAAAADO-160A (WC-884) A1B1/AKXXXXXXABBBB
ManualsPilots Manual A28-1146-102
System Description and Installation Manual A09-3944-001